The Tug Is The Drug…

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All posts for the month January, 2015

While Hawaii was a nice getaway, coming back to WA was tough to do especially the change in climate. Thao T. and JR had been doing well with the recent rains which brought in a freshet of fish into the system.

The sunrise today was haunting as passed Issaquah the skies would turn into a thick fog

Thao did well on 6 consecutive days with limits on each day. He was on a mission to full his smoker with steelhead chunks. I adjusted my indicator based to allow it to be more adjustable using bobber stops and small beads. This allows me to slide the Thingamabobber up and down the leader to adjust for water speed and depth. While I can’t claim any other fish to my punch card I did have a few takes and fish on briefly, but couldn’t get them converted to the net.

I am still learning this fishery and each trip becomes important to improve my confidence and ability to read the right holding water. Here is Thao’s cookie cutter fish of 5-6# that came on a peach colored bead.

It was darker and he harvested it for the smoker. Also we got tickled by alot of mountain whitefish aka ‘whitties’ aggressive little buggers that love gobbling steelhead roe

Yesterday I made it out for a couple hours and enjoyed the sunshine on my face and the solitude, having the water mostly to myself.

You can see all the snagged goods retrieved from the rocks when my rig got tangled up. I counted 6 separate rigs of beads and yarnies, preferred steelhead diet

All this lead and non decaying tackle is troubling to see on a small system. Hooks will eventually rust, mono decay, and plastic end ups in the ecosystem. What about the toxic lead in the water? Not a good recipe for any of the micro and macrobiology. Ill look for a better alternative to lead and searching for ways to keep more gear above the water line.

We will let this place rest until after the next rains and hopefully bring a few more bright fish into the system.

My big day arrived and I was like a kid anxious to hit the water with my fly rod. I booked the trip with Terry ‘Coach Duff’ Duffield. He got the nickname from being the DB coach for the UH football team.

Now he works with the Marines in the gun range and also guides a little but just three days a week. He told me that he used to go 200+ days a year but has since dropped most of his sponsors and has been burned out by the business, which isn’t glamorous as you would think. If you’re thinking of going on a bonefishing trip with him, be flexible and willing to accommodate his schedule. I had booked for Sunday the 18th but since we both wanted to watch the NFC championship game we decided to postpone to Monday. He cancelled and we decided to move to Tuesday.

Oahu flats fishing is a tough gig, yes the fish are huge but you’ll have limited shots at them and the fish are super weary. You’ll be fishing in water that’s 8-12″ deep, crystal clear and with the high profile of the casting cage, poling platform and white color boat they become a challenging species to target. It took me awhile to spot them as they are super camouflaged and are literally ghosts.

I had several shots at feeding fish but most of them scared and swam away, only 2 fish actually turned and chased the fly. I did have an un-identfied fish on but came off. It could have been a smaller bone, but likely not. Saw big schools of yellow for trivially which were good biters of the fly, but not what we came for. Also saw several puffer fish and a nice blue trevally that was likely a pupio (under 10#). He scattered out Pronto and we never had a shot.

I didn’t go fish less however, caught a couple Lizard fish, and also the Nunu? Which looks like a gar, with its long bill/beak like mouth. I wasn’t into blind casting but having the Orvis Helios H2 made 90-100′ casts possible with a double haul. Problem is that bones see you way ahead of this distance. It’s a timing thing and everything has to line up in order for the magic to happen. My arms and back are sore, especially my stripping arm from the repetitive actions but more of the sore inner core the wishes for some better action of the Oahu bonefish flats.

You can’t beat the scenery, however, just don’t know if I’ll return trip it for another shot at these guys due to the fact that their numbers are extremely limited for the amount of water we pounded for a good 6-7 hours.

On a side note, a couple of days prior we took the kids to a botanical garden that featured free fishing weekends. The lake is stocked with Tilapia, Peacock Bass, and Cichlids. They supply the bamboo rods with barbless hooks. No live bait, but bread can be used. I did try a fly but these fish are so conditioned to bread and are super wary as well. We caught a couple and the boys had a good time.

Sun, sand and surf called us to the Hawaiian Islands. Since we couldn’t get away for Christmas, this was out winter vacation to Oahu. I’ve dreamt of catching bonefish on the fly since I was a kid sifting through articles of places like Belize, Bahamas, and Turks Caicos.

I like the simplicity of flats fishing, rod, reel, box of flied, shorts and wet wading. I was happy to have gotten my Orvis Helios H2 back from Vermont where they actually replaced the rod versus correcting the two sections. Next up was lining up a limited edition Galvan T8 with a floating line and backing.

I’d research some patterns that was developed by Terry “Coach” Duffield, spam and eggs. I quick visit to the fly shop I bought some Charlies, and Gotchas.

Our accommodations are nice, a cottage in Kailua with a private lanai, outdoor shower, hanging hammock chairs, modern kitchen and freshly remodeled in Island theme. I set out my fluorocarbon to be packed but it’s not in my pack. I’ll probably not be able to get out until Saturday, but will be scouting some salt flats once I find some tippet.

Here’s a great article I found while doing some research. Not sure how the author was able to get the itinerary centered around his fishing time, but I’ll have to explore around while the kids are in tow. My wife has a a two day conference in Honolulu, so trying to make the most of it.

The sunset capped a good almost month of steelheading for me at the local ditch creek. While I didn’t have any hookups it has been a nice run, not as good as last year but memorable with my trophy buck and helping JR to land his first fish. On a side note, don’t bother with the BBQ joint in Preston. Not very good, I still prefer Stans BBQ in Issaquah.

I’ve gotta change gear, rods and flies and looking forward to the Oio of Kailua flats.

After the big rains a few days ago I was itching to get on the water. I knew we needed rain and the fish would come. JR has been good bird dogging the creek and giving me photo reports. It was time to get into action.

We also found Thao T. Had arrived before us and he was working the runs with vigor. I was surprised to find the spillway hole free and proceeded to Boulder down to the rivers edge. The river was running a brisk clip and clarity was good. I put in dozens of casts and drift without any takers.

JR was the first to connect and it was a beauty. I quickly grabbed the net and went downstream to chase the fish while JR put pressure while trying to keep the hook buttoned. We scampered downstream and finally the buck succumbed. Both Thao and I had fish on but couldn’t convert them to the net. Thao especially had a heartbreaker as the fish was just a foot away from the net and turned and popped the hook.

We fished until 5 and packed up and went home for a nice dinner and hit shower. This is Jr’s first and second fish of all time. He is a super metal head addict.

On a side note, I got a new pair of waders from Redington as the zipper failed on the original Sonic seam zips. It was never smooth from the beginning and last time it was royally stuck and the remaining bottom portion derailed causing a breach of the waterproof seal. I was able to pick up a new pair in person after taking the trip over to Bainbridge. The new waders are a bit longer in fit but seem durable and the zipper is smooth but smaller in width and overall size. Hopefully will last me longer than the previous model.

The big rains and warm temps came as a trade winds came from Hawaii bringing a deluge of water down western Washington.

Little creeks blow out quickly but they recover quickly. What comes are fresh fish into the system and eager biters. I had an exceptional day hooking 6 fish and getting a limit of some bright winter fish.

My big buck from the other day was finally filleted up and the stats don’t lie. He measured 33″ length x 17″ Girth. While my battery on my digital scale was dead I used the formula to guess his weight and it came in at a conservative 15.41#. While it’s not a trophy fish by Oly Penn standards, it was a trophy for me as its the largest steelhead that I’ve landed. For comparison, it was bigger than my largest Coho from last fall. I thought that fish was big, which it was, but for a steelhead it must have been at least a 2 salt if not 3 salt fish.

I felt a little bad for harvesting such a fish but to get the hatchery brat out of the genetic pool I suppose was a good thing. Wild or hatchery, the fact that he returned for a second time avoiding the nets, commercials, seals, and other would be predators is a testament to these amazing creatures. While I love salmon, I can see why steelhead fisherman are passionate and engrossed with chasing these animals.

Average fish

The buck stopped here

I still go through the play by play of this moment that I’ll never forget.

The new year has been good to me, I’ve been able to improve my skills and dead drift presentation. I’ve adjusted my leaders and my egg patterns. The conclusion, Steelhead like eggs and they are gobblers if in the zone and presented and if they are in holding position.

Have enough weight to get in the zone but not so much to snag bottom, just enough to skip and cause bumps and indicator to hop. Use the tag ends of the double surgeons loop to attach #3, or 4 shot. After a big rain and level rise I use down to size #2. The round shot moves better than the removable with wings. A small yarnie egg helps keep things buoyant and when positioned with the shot 8-10″ away places the bait in good feeding position.

I’m not sure if steelhead feed on eggs while they are in spawn mode or if it’s more out of aggression or jockeying for territory. I do appreciate this ditch water as these fish are biters versus in many salmon scenarios it’s tough to get fish to Bite once in fresh water.

I had a few hours and wanted to try the evening bite. I met up with JR and we walked down to my favorite spot and found 1 other guy working the run without much success. We dropped in below him and I coached JR on reading the lies and helping him with his high stick nymphing. I moved places a little and went upstream after another guy started fishing. Once he left around 3 pm, things started to get interesting.

A few drifts, my indicator shot down and game on, a very nice steelhead exploded from its holding spot. I’d never seen a fish with such fury, it scrambled trying to spit the hook bit I gave much pressure, it darted downstream and then to my surprise upstream to the Rapids. So powerful, I thought I’d maybe fouled the fish, but once tamed I could see my egg pattern in the corner of its mouth. I was shaking with adrenaline as I didnt want to risk losing this trophy fish. After a little more coaxing I was able to net it barley, as the fish was alot larger than my net would hold. The big buck had battle scars, a jig in its jaws. One hook with leader out of the underside V-line of the lower jaw, one hook near its and and my fly in its mouth. It had escaped at least 3 times to only meet its final fate on the bank.

My mouth just dropped with its size as it reminded me of the OP coho from last fall. I did have two more take downs with the second fish jumping and zipping up and down the riffles only to leap a second time and spitting the hook. The last fish, I never saw, but I was deeply satisfied with the first fish.